Heart attack during winter highly risky: Health experts

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 1

People who have heart attacks during winter are at higher risk during the rest of the year as well.

High blood pressure, diabetes, lack of exercise and smoking, among others, can increase risk of heart attack during winter.

Dr Sandeep Chopra, Additional Director, Department of Cardiology, Fortis Hospital, said, “Low temperature can have significant effect on the body, both in terms of how it works under normal situation and in terms of how it works when under strain. Blood vessels, veins and arteries can constrict when body temperature drops, and blood clots more quickly at lower temperatures. Both cause the heart to work faster, which can increase the risk of heart attack.”

In addition, excessive physical exertion particularly among those who do not exercise regularly can loosen plaque (cholesterol deposits) from arteries. This plaque can cause blockages, which in turn can damage the heart. Researchers also attribute the effects of seasonal spread of influenza—which increases general inflammation in the body.

Some heart attacks are sudden and intense, but most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort, he said.

As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort, but women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some other common symptoms, including shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

Dr Manbir Singh, Senior Cardiologist, Mediways Hospital, said heart diseases have gradually evolved from a disease of elderly people with risk factor, including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, smoking and family history to disease of young and working.

“Age of heart attack is almost 10 years earlier than western countries. Numerous studies have found a direct co-relation between extreme stress related illness, including post traumatic stress disorder, acute stress reaction, adjustment disorder and other stress disorders to heart diseases. This includes heart failure, heart attack and thrombus or embolism. There has been a temporal relationship of these with heart attacks occurring early i.e. within six months of extreme stress and heart failure. They are known to occur equally in men and women and do not depend on medical history, family background, or any other psychiatric illnesses,” said Dr Manbir.